Iceland's most active volcano, Mount Hekla, has erupted for the first time in almost 10 years, spewing columns of ash several kilometres into the sky.

Experts say the volcano poses no danger as it is situated in an uninhabited area about 120 km (75 miles) east of Reykjavik.

The volcano, one of the highest in Europe, has erupted more than 20 times since the 11th century. In Icelandic folklore, it was believed to be one of the gates to purgatory.

Icelandic television said a lava flow from a fissure was estimated to be seven km (4.5 miles) long.

Sightseers

Thousands of Icelanders have gone to witness the magnificent spectacle of red-hot lava and white snow. But the authorities warned drivers to beware of clouds of ash clogging up their engines.

The 1,490-metre- (4,900-foot-) high volcano spewed ash all over Europe when it erupted last century. Seismologists say this latest incident resembles a 1991 eruption that lasted seven weeks.

No flights to or from Iceland have been cancelled.

But despite the civil aviation authority warning aircraft to avoid the zone, a flying club announced that it was charging just over $100 for aerial tours of the volcano.